Shadows Falling
by 16FangsofWrath
Summary: A story based in Gaea, the world I created for DnD. First chapter is a short history. The next chapters will be the actual story.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dungeons and Dragons; it is the sole property of its respective owners.**

_**A/N: This is a story from my Dungeons and Dragons world: Gaea. I will start off with a short history and then the story of Sean Heartfang, Father Jacob Hans, Neliel "Nel" Nammal, and Erik Shade will begin. Thanks for reading. Yes Neliel is a name from Bleach (which I don't own) and she even looks a little like Nel but she is a character of my own design.**_

_The History of the world of Gaea_

_Gaea was born an inconceivable number of years ago, brought into being by the Immortal Six, Ishtishia, Kossuth, Grumbar, Akadi, Jeral, and Rithune, the gods and goddesses of Water, Fire, Earth, Chaos and Order respectively. The Six gathered their power and forged the material plane of Gaea as a last refuge from the wars of the pantheons of their followers on the planes of Faerun and Ebberron. _

_Millennia passed and, despite The Six's best efforts, other gods and goddesses came to Gaea, some staying and some visiting: Boccob, God of Magic, Corellon Larethian and his elves, Garl Glittergold and his gnomes, Gruumush and his orcs, Moradin and his dwarves, Yondalla and her halflings. Others were created by the mortals that inhabited Gaea: Souren, Guardian of the Forest, Ragna, Queen of Slaughter and her brother Rok, Prince of Shadows, Vasha, Goddess of Retribution, Koll, God of Death, Heresh, The Trickster. Others still were born of other deities: Allrand, the Golden Blade son of Heironious, his cousin Ziric the Black son of Hextor, Mara, daughter of Kord, and many, many others._

_The wars once again possessed their world and The Six despaired. Unable to forsake their followers and unwilling to participate in these senseless battles, they fled to their domains to aide their followers as best as they could._

_Wars raged and Empires rose and fell just as it is in other worlds, the rise and fall of Chandalar the first elven empire, the destruction of Fellmore, a human kingdom that replicated Chandalar's shadow portal experiment and brought into being The Blighted Lands and many others just as powerful and just as foolish._

_Distracted by the troubles of their followers, the deities of Gaea forgot their battles except those joined on the material world. Unfortunately, the twin gods Ragna and her brother Rok saw their chance to seize ultimate power, to usurp the other gods and goddesses and gain total control of Gaea for themselves._

_Towards this end, they created a race of their own, combining the characteristics of men and wolves in to the Garou. The Garou served as the bulk of the armies of the twins, though they gathered strength and other followers quickly. _

_For nearly six centuries, Ragna and Rok were unstoppable. Their armies turned aside every force brought against them; the shear power of the Garou was enough to ravage even the mightiest of kingdoms._

_In the end, it was the Garou that turned the tide of the war. Sick of being used, they turned on their creators, driving back the demonic hordes of The Twins. Karath Heartfang, leader of the Garou, Kithara Moongem, Queen of the Silver Island elves, Ulrich saer Doran, King of the Southlands, and Morik Drugenhost, High King of the Dwarven Empire lead the charge into The Twin's fortress and there, aided by the Immortal Six, they slew Rok and imprisoned Ragna, ending The War of The Twins._

_Centuries have come and gone since that fateful day…_

_Now a new peril has revealed itself…_

_And an old evil is stirring in its confinement…_

_Heroes both old and new will stand against the gathering dark, but only time will tell whether or not they can prevail against the shadows falling all around them………_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dungeons and Dragons**

_**A/N: Well here it is, the beginning of Shadows Falling. I hope you like it. Here we go….**_

_**Chapter One: Gathering Flames**_

**Neliel raced down the stairs of the inn, flames licking at her heels, her pack bouncing crazily on her back. She didn't know who had started the fire, but when she found out they were going to pay. She just made it out the door of The Falling Blossoms Inn when the roof collapsed, crushing those still inside. Breathing heavily, Neliel sat down hard on the packed earth of the road. Only once she had caught her breath did she notice the other buildings wreathed in flames.**

"**So, this wasn't aimed at me." Neliel suddenly became aware of the sounds of battle and screams coming from the direction of the north gate. Stowing her belongings in a niche in the alleyway across from the remains of The Falling Blossoms, she sprinted off down the street to see what she could do to help these people.**

*** * * * * * * ***

**The black armored soldier in front of Erik never saw or heard what killed him. Recovering his kukri, Erik sneered in disgust.**

"**Humph, we were a lot more aware when I was in the service."**

"**Enemy at the gate!" came a shout, and as Erik turned he saw four more of the black garbed warriors charging him, longswords drawn.**

"**Well, shit." Erik rushed the four, his twin weapons drawn. At the last second he pivoted, driving his left handed kukri into the fastest of these foolish soldiers. His right handed blade parried and then corkscrewed around the next warrior's sword, sinking deep into his chest only to be ripped free a second later and hurled into the eye of a third soldier. The last of the four, suitably cautious, began to circle Erik. **

"**Oh, enough of this farce." Erik snarled as he charged.**

*** * * * * * * ***

"**Anna, Lily, when I tell you to run, you run and don't look back." Father Jacob turned his attention back to the ruffians in black armor, brandishing his morningstar.**

"**He's one o' them martyrs from the Ilmatieri church. He can't harm a fly, it's against their code." The officer sneered. "Kill 'em!" **

"**Run children!" the Father turned, his shield held steady, his weapon held loosely, ready to strike. The men surged forth, battle cries on their lips. "My lord, forgive me, but I must protect the children."**

"**Die, Ilmatieri priest!" The Father's shield turned the first blow and he blocked the next with the head of his morningstar. He shifted slightly, shoving his shield forward and swung his weapon overhead, bringing it down on the head of his foe, staving in his skull. He dodged to the left, narrowly avoiding a thrust from his second assailant and catching the follow through with his shield before crushing the man's right arm with his morningstar.**

**The officer rushed Father Jacob, his blade whirling in his hands. The man was good, very good. The Father was hard pressed to keep the man's sword from his flesh, barely able to block the blindingly fast slashes and thrusts. The officer suddenly stumbled over an unseen stone and Father Jacob took the advantage, slamming his weapon into the man's chest, crushing his armor. The man crumpled, and Father Jacob's morningstar came away covered in blood.**

**The man whose arm had been crushed still lay on the ground, screaming. The Father approached him and knelt on the ground beside him, light streaming from his hands as he touched the man's injury. The arm healed in seconds. **

"**Though you little deserve them, go with the blessings of Ilmater, my son." The priest stood and walked away into the darkness with a heavy heart, towards the north gate.**

*** * * * * * * ***

**Sean rushed along the street in a panic, looking from side to side like a man possessed. **

"_**Where is the Father?"**_** he thought frantically. Sean felt the air change suddenly and leapt to the side and rolled away as the spot he'd been standing in a moment before exploded in a fiery blast. **

"**Come out, coward!" Sean heard a snicker from above his head and looked up to see a man standing on the roof of a small cottage, robed in black and pointing a red, glowing rod in his direction. **

"**Aww and I wanted to see a garou burn…" the man laughed once more but the smile never touched his eyes. "Oh well…" the man jumped out into open space and, as if an unseen wind spurred him on, he flew away into the night.**

"**Hey, more meat for the grind!" a shout came from behind Sean and he turned to see six men in black armor running down the street, swords and axes drawn.**

**His silver eyes shining, Sean charged, roaring out his battle cry, the single, curved edge of his greatsword glinting in the light of the fires. He hit their line like a rolling boulder, scattering their ranks. **

**Sean deflected a strike from one soldier and spinning tore him in half before bringing his sword around in a flat arc to split another's skull. An axe dealt him a glancing blow, but the cut was shallow and Sean's greatsword shattered the weapon before removing the man's hands at the wrist. An overly lucky warrior got inside Sean's guard and performed a stop thrust that should have pierced his chest but instead deflected off of the breastplate hidden beneath Sean's tunic. For his trouble, Sean rewarded him with the same attack, his sword shearing through the man's armor like a hot knife through butter.**

**The remaining two soldiers turned tail and ran, unable to stand before the power of the man before them. Sean howled at their retreating backs, bearing his fangs in a snarl, but before he could give chase, his sensitive ears picked up the sounds of battle to the north, and the unmistakable sound of Father Jacob's voice. **

**Sean turned and ran as fast as his legs could carry him towards the sounds. As he turned a final corner, Sean stopped, transfixed from the sight before him. A beautiful, half-elven woman stood in front of two small girls, a short spear in her hands fending off a man in black armor, her gray eyes wild, her waist length, teal hair waving in the breeze that fanned the flames all around them.**

**Across the courtyard, a man in black chainmail armor fought off six of the black armored men, his twin kukris wreaking havoc all around him.**

**Sean's eyes found his mentor similarly engaged against four of the invaders.**

"**Don't just stand there boy, help them!"**

**The Father's words spurred him forward and with a mighty roar, Sean charged…….**

**Cliff hanger! What will happen to Neliel? Will Sean be able to save her in time? What about the mysterious man in black robes who attacked Sean? Find out in the next chapter of Shadows Falling.**

**16Fangs**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dungeons and Dragons or any of its characters.**

_**A/N: Well friends here we are again. Thanks for reading and without further ado, the second chapter.**_

_**Chapter 2: The Burning Man**_

A resounding roar came from Neliel's left, distracting her for a moment. Her opponent would have taken advantage of this, except that as he began to strike he was hit from the side with enough force to shove him back fifteen feet.

"Attacking women and children, what a despicable, cowardly act for a man."

Neliel gasped as she caught sight of her rescuer. The man's silver eyes gleamed with a light of their own, heated with rage, his pointed ears twitching in irritation. He swung his massive sword as if it weighed no more than a switch.

"Bloody dog! Ye'll pay fer attacking Gain of the Blackwind Soldiers."

Neliel's assailant charged, his longsword held before him. The two met with a shriek of steel on steel. Both were experts, and it quickly became apparent to Neliel that Gain had been toying with her before this garou had stepped in.

* * * * * *

Across the courtyard Erik whirled in frenzy, desperately trying to keep his enemies' blades from him. Two more of these invaders had joined the battle against him bringing the number of his opponents to eight. Even Erik had trouble with eight armed men, especially when injured.

Grimacing at another shallow cut, Erik lashed out with his kukris, one slashing the throat of the man who had cut him, the other cutting the hamstring of the man next to him. Erik then broke through the ranks, running towards the four men surrounding the Ilmatieri cleric and bowling one over as the Father stove in the skull of a different man.

"Mayhap we'll live longer if we work together Father." Erik matter-of-factly drove his right handed weapon into the man he'd knocked down.

"Perhaps we shall, my son, perhaps we shall."

Surrounded by the remaining men, the odds did not look good. Doggedly the two fought on, Erik's whirling blades ripping terrible wounds and the Father's morningstar crushing bones and armor with equal ease. Then, suddenly, there were no men in black armor standing.

"Well, that went better than expected, Father…."

"Jacob. And yes, I do believe you're right my son."

"Erik Shade." The two extended hand to shake.

"For the Blackwind!" Four more of the black armored warriors appeared in the courtyard and rushed towards the two tired combatants.

"_Carai nal salakar_!" A burst of multicolored light hit the group before they could take more than a few steps. Blinded, they dropped their weapons and clutched at their eyes.

The Father and Erik both smiled at the young half-elf woman across the courtyard.

"Enough!" From mid-air, a man in night black robes descended to the midst of the battlefield. A foul wind seemed to rise in his presence, forcing a silence over the battle.

"You! How dare you blind my men?!" The man screamed, stabbing his index finger at Neliel. He then began a complex series of gestures too quickly to see and flung out his hand, palm facing Neliel and the children.

* * * * * *

Sean began moving at the wizard's first shout, running for the middle ground, knowing what was coming. He felt the sting of the man Gain's blade across his left shoulder but ignored it and the fresh blood seeping into his tunic and poured on his speed.

"_Miruk doren_." A colossal fireball burst from the wizard's hand, streaking towards the young woman and the two little girls, its light making the dim courtyard flare like noon-day.

Sean met it thirty feet from its target, bringing his greatsword's flat up to shield himself, the rushing garou and his human pursuer were caught in the massive conflagration and the resulting explosion tossed Sean to the half-elf's feet and Gain into a nearby wall, breaking his neck.

"NO!" Father Jacob, the sight of his friend's smoking body spurring him into action, charged, dropping his morningstar and summoning the divine might of his god. From the Father's outstretched hand a ray of white hot light shot forth and struck the mage in the shoulder, burning straight through the foul wizard's body.

Unseen, Erik circled the battling cleric and mage coming upon the wizard from behind, kukris raised for a killing blow.

"Hahahahaha! _Vesh na maeric!_" The evil laughter was followed by four burning rays, two from each of the wizard's hands that pierced first Erik's chainmail and then the Father's shield and hauberk sending the two warriors to the ground.

"Time to die fools! Never again will you see the splendor that is Falgar the Black Flame!" Falgar reached into his robes and pulled out two blood red rods aiming them at Father Jacob and Erik, their lengths beginning to glow as the fireball spells within them began to charge.

"No, stop! You'll just be killed too! STOP!!" Falgar looked up to see the garou, badly burned but on his feet, crossing the distance between them at an incredible speed, the half-elven women screaming after him. In his hands was the massive blade, but no matter. Falgar pointed the ends of both rods at the garou, confident in his victory.

"I guess I'll get to see a garou burn this night after all, eh dog?!"

A wordless snarl was his only answer as the garou came on, even faster, too fast! The rods would not be ready before the garou reached him.

With a wordless cry of his own, Falgar leaped back trying to put distance between himself and the enraged garou, but it was far too late.

Sean slammed into the wizard like a mad bull, carrying him back and back.

Once the rush was over, Falgar looked up into the garou's eyes and then down at his rods. They had been sheared down the middle, nearly to his hands by the now obviously magical blade.

A strange keening sound came from the ruined rods. Then, before either combatant could move, they exploded blowing the two in opposite directions.

Falgar caught the worst of it, flames eating away his robe and the skin of his hands and face. Screaming, he rose into the night sky.

"THIS IS NOT OVER GAROU! NOT BY A LONG SHOT!"

Sean was beyond hearing, the blast had finally robbed him of consciousness. As the darkness rolled over him, he looked up into the most remarkable pair of gray eyes and saw that they were marred only by tears. He reached his hand up to brush them away and the darkness claimed him.

_**A/N: Yeah, yeah I know another cliff hanger. Sorry wont happen again anytime soon. Hope you liked it. Until next time.**_

_**16Fangs**_


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